Seeking Her Heart
by Kin'iro No Tenshi
Summary: Pressed in dire circumstances, Rukia must live with and marry a man whom she despises for his wealth and social standing, Ichigo Kurosaki. Can she ever learn to tolerate, or perhaps even love this man? AU/OOC, Regency-esque. Rated M for future lemons.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back with a new chaptered story. This story is alternate universe and very OOC for all characters. There will only be one character's point of view per chapter. I guess that it is regency-esque; I certainly had that time period in mind when I started writing the story. I really don't know quite where they are, but feel free to consider it Regency England, or some parallel of that in which Japanese names are normal. I have no idea how long the story will be or how it will end yet, so I hope you enjoy the ride!

Warnings: This story is rated M for good reason. If you are not old enough to be reading M-rated material or simply don't like mature content, then please don't read this story. This chapter is rated T for safety and because there is a brief discussion of adult topics.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

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Chapter 1: Rukia's Point of View

I often felt like Cinderella, forced to live in a home where my family treated me as no more than a servant.

My parents had died when I was a young child of a terrible illness, and so I was moved to live with my aunt Rangiku and her daughter Orihime; the only blood relations that I had left in this world. They never took well to the idea of me living with them, and they demonstrated this every day of my life. I was forced to work in their house as a servant, earning my keep of a small cramped room with a hard mattress of compressed straw, a thin sheet to ward off the cold and two small meals of leftovers and table scraps everyday to help keep me alive.

They were well off enough, Rangiku had received an excellent fortune after the death of her husband and parents, and Orihime was in line to inherit that fortune when her mother passed. They lived on a fairly large estate with a grand house to live in. I wasn't much of a financial burden on them as I ate little and worked hard on my chores to try and stay in their good graces, but they certainly acted as though I was a burden to them, and they often let me know it.

"Rukia, would you mind coming over here for a moment?" asked Rangiku loudly in a condescending tone. I had been scrubbing the steps to the staircase in the grand entrance room clean as she had asked me to do when she called me over. I sighed, casting my sponge into the bucket of water next to me and picking up my damp skirts to make my way over to the parlor that Rangiku was waiting for me in.

"Yes, Aunt?"

"Rukia, you know that you are almost seventeen years old, yes?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Well please know that on your seventeenth birthday in a month that I will no longer be required to house you and take care of you my dear. You will need to find arrangements with others, perhaps you could be a farm maid in Mrs. Lutte's home a few miles down the road. I am sure that they would take you in and make you earn your living… "

Rangiku continued muttering on about other possible poor accommodations that I could possibly find myself in within the span of a month. My eyes began to water, but I held back the urge to weep in front of my aunt and stayed strong in my resolve. I always knew that they would turn me out of the house as soon as they could.

After clearing my eyes of the tears and waiting for Rangiku to finish with her musings, I asked, "What if I were to be married?"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Orihime cackled as she walked into the room in her fine gown. It was made of pink satin and lace and embroidered with pearls on the bodice. No expense was ever spared for her by her mother. I was merely dressed in a dirty gown of plain muslin; our respective dresses were a clear and distinctive sign of how differently Rangiku valued of each of the two of us. "What man would want to marry you Rukia? You have no money, no prospects, and no beauty. Your hair is an ugly shade of black and purple, you have no bosom to speak of and the hips of a little boy."

I was not as terribly offended by her statements as I should have been, as they were normal and common coming out of her conceited mouth. It was difficult to believe that we were the best of friends as young children; before her mother corrupted her with self-important thoughts and prejudices after her father died. I only inwardly sighed to myself, and waited for Rangiku to speak.

"Oh Rukia, you know that you aren't even a mildly attractive prospect for a man. Even if a man _somehow_ found you charming and attractive, he would be thoroughly put off by your severe lack of fortune and connections. Erase the thought of getting married from your mind as it is a foolish dream. Now, I will also need you to spend all of tomorrow directing all of the other servants to help clean the entire house thoroughly as we are expecting company of the highest honor to come to our humble home. With any luck, he will be begging Orihime to marry him. Now shoo, go back to your chores!"

"Yes ma'am," I said as politely as I could muster backing out of the room and returning to scrubbing the staircase. It wasn't long before tears began streaming down my face, mingling with the dirty water on the floor as I thought about my very near future. What was I going to do? My aunt hadn't let me out of the house in years; I had no chance to try and find good accommodations for myself. I would probably be booted out of the house on my birthday with my few meager belongings to find my way in the world alone, with very little money and few options.

"Are you alright, Rukia?" I heard a soft voice behind me ask. I was quite startled as I hadn't noticed anyone walking into the room, but then again my vision was blurred by my salty tears. I looked behind me to see my only true friend here, Momo Hinamori. Momo was a servant in the household as well, but she usually worked in the kitchen. Momo was probably the reason that I wasn't too frail; Momo would help sneak food to me on the days when I was given very little to eat. She was a very close and trusted friend to me. Rangiku and Orihime were unaware of how close Momo and I were, which was beneficial as I was afraid that Momo would suffer greatly from befriending me.

"Oh Momo, I am to be booted out of the house on my next birthday and I am afraid that I have no place to go. Not only this, but I am afraid that I will never see you again," I said as I burst back into tears. Momo dropped to her knees next to me and enveloped me in the comfort of her arms.

"It's alright Rukia, we will figure something out. I will write to my mother and see what she can come up with. She knows a great many people and can very likely help you find a good place to stay."

"Oh Momo, what will I ever do without you?"

"You won't have to do without me. We will find ways to work out visits and we will always write to each other often. Everything will work out, so don't fret too much over it, alright?"

I stayed in the comfort of Momo for a few moments longer before we both went back to our work. Momo was in a similar situation to me. Her mother was alive, but she didn't have the funds to take care of Momo, and so she was sent off to serve in a great household to make money to support her mother's somewhat lavish lifestyle.

Momo and I were the only servants in the house that could read and write; I had been taught by Rangiku's late husband and I had taught Momo in our spare time. We had no formal education and none of the talents that ladies of society possessed such as the abilities to draw or play an instrument. Despite this we lead good and proud lives. Yes, we were proud to be servants. Without us the social hierarchy that held up society would crumble. We may not like our superiors, but we knew our position in this world.

I was also glad that I was a servant because if there was anything that I learned from living with my aunt and cousin, it was that the rich were snooty, rude, and without the slightest bit of virtue. I knew that I was good person in character, whereas I had witnessed the bad-mannered attitudes and deceit that occurred within the world of high society. I never wanted to be caught up in such trickery and back-stabbing. Being a servant, while not the best situation in life, was at least one with some dignity and decorum of character.

After a long day of cleaning, I was finally released from my daily duties to go to bed. I made my way down the narrow stone staircase that led to the basement. There I entered my small bedroom and dressed myself for bed in my loose muslin nightdress. I looked over to the miniature table in the corner of my room that held what few precious belongings I had, a small painting in a silver frame of my parents, a small worn out doll from my days as a young child, and a silver hairbrush that once belonged to my mother. These were my greatest treasures.

I crawled onto the itchy mattress that I had grown accustomed to and wrapped myself tightly in the thin sheet. I couldn't help but wonder what this man of esteem that was supposed to be doing us the honor of a visit was to be like. He was clearly a man of great wealth, for that was the only attractive feature of a man according to Rangiku and Orihime. It was probably his only redeeming quality anyway. It was to these thoughts that I fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

I woke up early the next morning, dressed myself quickly, and started to work on my chores again. I knew that Rangiku would want the house to be spotless for the guest, and this meant that I had to work earlier in the day to get it all done. The benefit of having a guest come to visit was that all of the servants were released from work early and told to stay out of the way of the visit, which was perfectly alright with me.

I met with the dozen or so servants that maintained the household and divided up the chores and tasks to be done before our guest arrived. He was to call upon Rangiku and Orihime around noontime, and so the chores needed to be done quickly as it was already approaching nine o'clock in the morning.

"Rukia! Come help me get dressed for our esteemed guest," Orihime shrieked at me from upstairs. I reluctantly climbed the stairs up into her bedchamber to help her prepare her appearance.

"I want to wear that dress over there on the bed," she said as she sat at her large vanity to begin playing with her hair, deciding how she wanted to wear it. I picked up the dress that she pointed to and began to lay it out for putting on Orihime. It was a beautiful deep emerald green embroidered with stones; in fact it was the most elaborate dress that Orihime had. She must really want to make a favorable impression on this man.

"Oh, Rukia, I do hope that he is charming and attractive. I certainly hope to make him my husband," she said as I helped to dress her in the emerald dress.

"Have you met the man before?" I asked, curious.

"No, but I have heard much about him. He has a fortune far larger than my mother's and is said to be terribly handsome. I plan on using my womanly charms to woo him; they have never failed me before."

I thought back to a few years ago, when Orihime discovered that she possessed these womanly charms. It wasn't hard to see where said charm came from. Orihime was exceptionally pretty, she had long flowing orange hair, a large bosom like her mother, and child-bearing hips. She was considered quite a beauty. In fact she had turned down several offers of marriage from men she had been with dishonorably as they were deemed by her to be too poor or not handsome enough.

She first used to use these charms on servant boys to seduce them, bed them, and then send them away once she bored of them. She eventually moved up to seduce men of higher society, to possibly better her chances in bettering her life situation. Just another example of the lack of virtue in high society, but as long as Orihime was enjoying herself; her mother ignored her disgusting and dishonorable behavior. I knew from Orihime bragging about her conquests directly to me that she should probably be wearing a dress of dark brown instead of white on her wedding day, to represent how she had sullied herself over the past several years.

I started to work on Orihime's hair, brushing it clean of tangles and knots, leaving it sleek and shiny. She had decided that she wanted to wear it down for the guest.

"What is the man's name, if I may ask?" I asked trying to make the time pass by quicker.

"His name is Lord Ichigo Kurosaki. Doesn't his name even sound handsome? I do hope that the rumors are true…"

"What are the rumors?"

"That he is in want of a pretty wife, and I _will_ be that wife," Orihime said with determination. After all, what Orihime wants, Orihime gets. "He lives about ten miles away on the grandest estate in the county. It's said that the entire household is made from marble, and that it rivals even the King's own palaces. His father has recently died, leaving all of his large fortune to Lord Kurosaki. He apparently also takes care of his sisters now that both of his parents are dead. I have heard through several people that they are well-mannered young ladies, and that it probably won't be too long before they are married off. They are to inherit quite large fortunes themselves."

"Does getting married mean that you will stop using your womanly charms?" I asked after she had finished relating all of the circumstances of Lord Kurosaki.

"Of course not! He will likely seek ladies outside of myself for pleasure, and I plan to do the very same for myself. It is quite common in high society, but I suppose that you wouldn't know that, would you?"

"No ma'am," I said inwardly sneering. She already plans to cheat on a man she hasn't even met yet? The nerve of it! But who am I to trifle in the sins of such a world?

"Oh, and be present while our guest is here, in case one of us need to be served something or other," Orihime demanded. I suppose that I wasn't going to have a nice break like the rest of the servants after all…

I walked ahead of Orihime down the staircase and into the parlor that they were to receive the guest in.

"Is everything to your liking ma'am?" I asked to Rangiku, who was already seated in the parlor waiting for the guest to arrive.

"It's good enough I suppose," she responded lazily. "Oh Orihime, you look beautiful!" she exclaimed as her daughter entered the room. "You will ensnare his affections with your beauty alone. I wouldn't be surprised if he proposed to you on this very visit my dear."

As Rangiku continued to fawn over her daughter a knock on the door was heard. Everyone looked to the door as it was opened by a servant to allow the guest in. The servant then came into the parlor.

"Announcing Lord Ichigo Kurosaki," he proclaimed as the lord entered the room and with great flourish bowed to the ladies in the room.

"Shoo, shoo!" Rangiku scolded me as she and her daughter rose from their seats to curtsy to the man. I curtsied as well meeting the man's eyes and quickly walked out of the room, hiding behind a curtain that separated the parlor from the small library next to it, where I could still hear them in case they needed me, but I couldn't really see them.

The rumors were true; in fact that man was immensely handsome. I only saw him for a quick second, but I noticed his bright orange hair, lighter in color and brighter than Orihime's, and his stunning amber eyes. Making eye contact with him for the split second I did had sent a shock through my body. The gaze that he had given me was one of intensity, and maybe even curiosity? No, I must be exaggerating the event to myself; there was no way that he looked at me like that.

While immersed in my thoughts and coming to my own conclusions about Lord Kurosaki, I almost didn't hear the bell dinging from the parlor. I knew that this was my signal to come into the room and serve my aunt in whatever way she wished. I had been so immersed in my own thoughts that I hadn't even been listening to their conversation like I had planned.

"Is there something you need ma'am?"

"Yes, fetch Lord Kurosaki a glass of water and then please go down to your room and stay there for the rest of the evening," Rangiku ordered. I went to fetch the glass for Lord Kurosaki, filled it with water from our well, and came back with it in hand. I brought it over to the table next to our guest and set it down gently.

"Thank you so much," he said to me, making eye contact with me and even smiling and winking at me. There was a twinkle in his eye, something that I couldn't put my finger on. It was the awareness that my aunt and cousin were in the room that jolted my shocked state, forcing me to curtsy in reply and leave for my room downstairs.

Who does that man thinks he is anyway, smiling and being gracious to service staff? No one ever did that in high society. Servants were seen as dirt, as being lowly and obedient, barely human even. He must be a terrible flirt to show such attentions towards me, which is a perfect match for Orihime. The two can live happily ever after being sinful, flirtatious and adulterous together for all I cared.

I marched down to my room as I was told to do, only to see my dear Momo there.

"Oh Momo, you will not believe what the man upstairs is like! He is a determined flirt; he even dared to flirt with me in front of my aunt and cousin! His nerve! It's a good thing that he has such a grand fortune or Orihime wouldn't even consider having him. Well maybe she would, he is quite handsome after all."

"Is he? What does he look like?"

"He looks quite peculiar actually. He has bright orange hair, is very tall and has amber colored eyes. But it certainly works well for him. He dresses quite well too." I also proceeded to relate the rumors I had heard from Orihime about the man and his circumstances to Momo as well.

"Really? It's a shame that he is orphaned at such a young age. If half of that is true then I don't see why he would want Orihime. Orihime, while to inherit a good fortune, seems almost impoverished compared to the level of Lord Kurosaki. Not to mention that her personality leaves… something to be desired," Momo giggled.

"Indeed. Perhaps he only cares about her beauty and that she will likely bear him sons to pass down his great wealth and power to. That seems to be the only care in the world of people of the upper social circle."

"That and feeling like they are better than they are,"

"But of course!" I giggled.

Momo and I continued gossiping in this manner late into the night until we both fell asleep on my mattress.

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I hope you enjoyed it! Please review! –Kin'iro No Tenshi


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back this week with Ichigo's point of view of the events of the last chapter, and I hope you will find this chapter informative. Most future chapters will have new information and events, but this one doesn't because I give a lot of background information. Enjoy!

Warnings: This story is rated M for good reason. If you are not old enough to be reading M-rated material or simply don't like mature content, then please don't read this story. This chapter is rated T for safety.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

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Chapter 2: Ichigo's Point of View

"Ichi-nii?"

"Yes Yuzu?"

"Would you like me to play the pianoforte for you? I have been practicing very hard, just like you asked me to."

"I would love to hear you play," I said as I sat down in a chair close to the harpsichord in the corner of the large ornate parlor. I was amused by her use of my old nickname, the one that she had used as a small child to call for me as she could not pronounce my name. In fact she had been using that nickname for me quite often as of late.

I listened in silence as she began to play, and she was doing a wonderful job. It wouldn't be long before she would surpass the abilities of her current tutor and be in need of a new one.

Karin was listening to Yuzu as well while pretending to read a book on the opposite side of the parlor. I knew what she was truly doing, she was looking outside through the window wanting to go and do something active. When Karin was little, she used to go and play with the little boys in games and sports outside, but now that she was older she couldn't do such things anymore. The most vigorous exercise she could do was to ride one of our horses or to go for a walk. I pitied her; I knew how badly she wishes that she were a man so that she could do more active things than needlework or reading.

When Yuzu was little, she was far shyer than her extroverted sister. She resigned herself to playing alone or with our mother, Masaki. Yuzu far preferred the company of dolls to the company of other children, with the exception of her twin sister and me. Yuzu had always taken an interest in the arts as a child, and she began playing the harpsichord after our mother passed. I felt like it was her connection to our mother, as I remembered that she played the harpsichord expertly as well. Yuzu always reminded me of our mother in so many ways.

The house had been terribly quiet since our father, Isshin had passed away. Despite his composure and delicacy around people of state and other important connections, he was wild and rambunctious when he was home alone with the family. He was lively and entertaining, although he could sometime be quite annoying. Even so, we all loved him for it. Without him now, everything was far too quiet. He had been even more vivacious when our mother was around, but she died when Karin and Yuzu were just five years old; I was only ten, and so we do not have many memories of that time.

I was very young to be head of the household, only one and twenty. I knew that it wouldn't be too long before my sisters were offered marriage proposals and I would have to give them away at their weddings instead of our father. It also meant that I needed to find a wife now as well. I knew that my family's acquaintances would begin to talk and spread nasty rumors if I at least didn't start to look for a wife to settle down with.

Growing up I had never met many girls that I was particularly interested in as a prospected lover. There was one girl when I was young, Senna, but she moved to the other side of the country with her family and has since been married off. She had really been the only girl that I had ever been attracted to, but that was years ago. I hadn't felt that way about a woman in a long time, in fact I had forgotten all about Senna until I heard news of her wedding to some ancient man in the North. Poor girl.

I had never really wanted to get married, not if I didn't like the woman. Frankly there were few people that I could marry that would financially benefit me, and I didn't particularly care for them anyway. So many people in this class of society were too phony for my tastes. I wanted to find a woman who was genuine, a woman who could be my intellectual equal and put me in my place when need be. I didn't want a trophy wife who couldn't think for herself or only cared about my fortune.

I decided that until I find this woman, I would at least pretend to start to look for a wife to keep talk and petty rumors at bay. Perhaps luck would have it that I find someone I at least genuinely liked, or to make a new acquaintance.

While I was immersed in my thoughts about finding a wife for myself, husbands for my sisters, and listening to the lovely music that Yuzu was playing, I received a letter from one of my servants. It was from the Masumoto household; their family was inviting me for a visit to their home, which was about ten miles away.

I had heard rumors of the widow's daughter, that she was very pretty and reasonable in demeanor. I decided that this would be as good as any place to start. I wrote back immediately telling them to expect me the next day around noon, I knew that the letter would get to them by supper. In the meantime I continued to listen to Yuzu play until it was time for our lunch.

* * *

I began my journey to the Masumoto residence a little bit after eleven o'clock in the morning, leaving my sisters under the care of their governess. They were to spend their day on their studies. They were well educated for young ladies of their age, my father had ensured it. He thought that it was important to learn matters of finance and business should they ever need it, and I fully agreed with him. They received as much of an education as I had.

I chose the small carriage that used to be my mother's favorite, it was perfect for one or two people to take a short journey. It was well cushioned and covered to keep the sunlight from making the journey unbearably hot, and was only pulled by one horse. I arrived at their residence at the time I written them to expect me. I was greeted by their doorman and entered their home.

It was a nice residence, a bit on the lavish side considering the size of the estate. Considering there was no longer any income as a male did not live in the house, I felt that they may have been living a bit out of their means. I was ushered into their guest parlor where I graciously bowed to them. I had met the late Mr. Inoue before, but I had not met his wife or their daughter. I knew that his wife had taken her maiden name again and that her daughter kept her father's name.

As I rose from my bow to look to the ladies I initially noticed the most beautiful one in the room. She had shoulder-length blackish hair and large, bright violet eyes. A chunk of her hair hung between her bright eyes. She was dressed very simply in the dress of a servant or maid. It was a simple cream and green muslin dress that was slightly dirty from use. She quickly curtsied at me and left the room quickly.

I turned my attention to the ladies of the house, who were curtsying in greeting me. After they sat down; I did as well in the chair that they directed me to. The widow seemed kind enough; she was blonde and quite buxom, as was her daughter. Her daughter was very pretty I supposed, but nowhere nearly the beauty that was the black haired maiden who scurried out of the room.

"Hello Lord Kurosaki, I am Rangiku Masumoto and this is my daughter Orihime," she motioned. I walked up to the young lady and kissed her hand to gauge her reaction. She giggled politely and batted her eyelashes at me in a flirtatious manner. I could already tell that I was not going to enjoy the company of this girl, as I was clearly invited here for the sole purpose of getting to know Miss Inoue more intimately. "I trust that your trip here was comfortable Lord Kurosaki?"

"Yes, it was a pleasant trip; it is a lovely day after all."

"It is a wonderful day, I do love the sunshine. Would you like anything to drink, water perhaps?"

"Water would be wonderful, thank you."

Ms. Masumoto began to ring a small bell on the table next to her. After she rang the bell the black haired beauty entered the room once again. While she was in the room I couldn't stop looking at her, and Ms. Masumoto certainly noticed that my attention was more focused on her servant than on her daughter when she commented to the beauty that she stay in her quarters for the rest of the night. I was perturbed at this comment, but not terribly surprised.

The beauty returned to the room shortly with a glass of water for me. She looked a little nervous, so I thanked her and even managed a sly wink at her. She replied to me with a small curtsy and scurried out of the room again.

"What is her name?" I asked.

"Oh, that is just my niece Rukia Kuchiki, pay no mind to her, she is nothing more than a lowly servant in this household."

"Your niece? Does she live here?"

"Yes, she lives downstairs in the basement with the some of the other servants. We were forced against our will to take care of her after her parents died. She was an only child so we were the only family that she had left, and so she came to us. Now she works hard for her keep here."

"But she won't be a burden to us much longer mother."

"Ah yes, she will soon turn seventeen, and then we will no longer be legally responsible for her, and so she will leave this residence. But let's not dwell on that, please Lord Kurosaki, tell us more about yourself and your family."

She allowed for her niece to work under her? Why wasn't her niece treated like her daughter, or at least above the station of servant? And why would they kick her out of their residence when she has no other family to turn to? Were these women really so cruel? How could she be a burden on them when they clearly live in such wealth? They may not have been the richest family in the county but they were certainly far better off than most people, and it was only just the two of them. Judging by their home, it doesn't seem that they were strapped for money. I needed to learn more about this strange arrangement, but I knew that I would have to save it for another day as the subject of the conversation had been changed.

While engaging in trivial and meaningless conversation with the two ladies, I formulated a plan to try and see this Rukia and try and get to know her better, preferably without her benefactors knowing that I was doing so. I decided to pretend to be interested in the advances of Miss Inoue for now, as it would give me an excuse to try and see Rukia. Hopefully I would be able to converse with Rukia individually at some point.

Miss Inoue was an… interesting character. She didn't speak much; it seemed like her mother did most of the talking about her accomplishments. Instead of talking she would attempt to gain my attention by fluttering her eyelashes or using her arms to crush her bosom together to show her cleavage, which was frankly hard to miss. After all, her bosom entered the room before she did, and her mother was certainly no different. Had Miss Inoue always tried to attract men in this manner? I found it unbecoming of a lady to project her body in such a way as to assume that I base interest in a woman based on solely her sexual appeal. It insulted me and it insulted her as well.

I slowly gleaned from the conversation that Miss Inoue and her mother were far more interested in my money than in my personality, interests or demeanor, which honestly made me feel quite angry. It was morally the same as Miss Inoue throwing her body at me; they expected me to throw my fortune at them in return.

Was my reputation that of a womanizer without my knowledge? I paid very little attention to woman for the most part, far less attention than other men my age. It wasn't because I disliked women, but because I found very few who were different from one another. Women of this society did all of the same things, they had all of the same talents. They acted like copies of each other, and if I didn't know any better they were all trying to copy one another in appearance as well. I had viewed, but never publicly commented, disasters that involved women all trying to appear the same. I had seen women fight over a bonnet in a shop, try to dye their hair to an ashy blonde with disastrous results, and try to learn the same parlor tricks that they believed caught the attention of men. I fought very hard to keep my sisters from turning into members of this homogenized group.

After staying with at the Masumoto residence for a couple of hours, as was polite, I took my leave, thanking them profusely and accepting their invitation to visit them again soon; an offer that I was more than willing to accept if it meant that I could see Miss Kuchiki again.

On the carriage ride back towards my own household, I pondered ways to isolate Rukia from her family and talk to her alone. Could I even achieve it? It would be hard to isolate someone considered to be a servant away from the owners of the house, even if she is family.

Why was I so drawn in by Miss Kuchiki in the first place? I had never felt like this towards a woman before. I was drawn in at first sight, and I had only seen her for a couple of moments. I hadn't even had a chance for her to speak to me yet. Despite having only known of her existence for a few hours, I couldn't get the young lady out of my head, images of her soft violet eyes would appear behind my eyelids whenever I would try to get rest.

Plans and thoughts swirled in my mind as to how I was going to get to know this Miss Kuchiki more intimately. I decided to call upon the Masumoto household again in one month and play my plan by ear; I may be able to find an opportune opening in the moment of being there.

I wished that I could visit sooner, but I had important business to attend to and had no choice but to travel out of town and into the city for it. My curiosity about Miss Kuchiki would simply have to wait until then, and I could only hope that I could see the beautiful woman again before she was turned out of the house by her cruel family.

* * *

I hope that you enjoyed, please review! –Kin'iro No Tenshi


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi everyone! Here is this week's chapter in Rukia's point of view. I am sorry that I didn't do this last week, but I really want to thank everyone that has been reviewing this story. I am overwhelmed with the amount of kind and thoughtful reviews that I have been receiving, so thank you very much. It makes me really happy that so many people are enjoying the story.

Warnings: This story is rated M for good reason. If you are not old enough to be reading M-rated material or simply don't like mature content, then please don't read this story. This chapter is rated T for safety and because there is a brief discussion of adult topics.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

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Chapter 3: Rukia's Point of View

Ever since the decision of my leaving the household had been made public to me, I was treated worse by my aunt and cousin than I had been before. I had previously thought this to be impossible as they had already treated me so poorly. I was now forced to work longer hours than before and earned less food within the day. Momo's scavenging for extra food for me was what was keeping me alive at this point; all of the other servants of the household were eating far better than I was.

Even though it was nearly my seventeenth birthday, Momo's mother had not replied to the letter her daughter sent to her the day that my removal from the house was announced. At this point I had no place to go. I decided that on the day I was to leave the house that I would wander towards town and possibly work in a shop there, and perhaps find some form of lodging.

I hoped dearly that I would not have to turn to the last resort for any girl, to become a "lady of the night". The thought of that horrified me to my core; I wanted to sob simply thinking about having to turn to that option to survive. My virginity was something that I highly treasured. I prayed that my skill in reading and writing would come in handy for me in town. For now, all that I could do was bide my time until I was booted out of the house and off of the estate.

* * *

"Goodbye my dear!" Rangiku exclaimed curtly as she turned away from the entrance to the household and walked into another room.

I stood by the door with a flimsy linen sack carrying the few prized possessions that I owned since the days of my childhood. Inside of the sack was a slightly faded portrait of my mother and father, a small doll that used to be my favorite to play with, and the silver hairbrush that my mother had given to me, it was her only possession of any monetary value. I never dared to allow for my aunt and cousin to know of its existence, as it would have been taken away from me and given to Orihime as a pretty trinket. These possessions had mostly stayed hidden under my straw mattress for the years I spent at the Masumoto household, and were now the only ones going with me.

At my side was Momo, crying and upset that I had to leave. I held her in my arms as she sobbed, trying to sooth her with promises of letters and visits when either of us would get a chance. I knew that it was time for me to go soon, before Rangiku came back and ordered me out off of the estate.

"I'm going to miss you so much Rukia!" Momo sniffled.

"I will miss you too, but I will write to you in a few days."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course I promise."

It was with that conversation and one last tense hug from Momo that I bid my leave. Once I had stepped off of the property and onto the road, I felt a sense of relief and freedom. I no longer had to answer to the silly demands of my aunt and cousin, and I had the chance to make a life for myself. But my stomach sunk in dread as I wondered; where was I to go to now?

I decided to walk to the closest town, which was unfortunately about five miles away. Of course my luck made it so that it was raining terribly hard that day. What a way to spend a birthday.

I began to walk down the increasingly muddy road as I focused on my thoughts and plans. What would I do after I got to town? I would try to find an inn, and convince the owner to let me work there in exchange for letting me stay charge free. Then I would focus on talking to people staying at the inn, seeing if they would be willing to hire, feed, and house me. It was the best that I could do at this point really.

While immersed in my thoughts, I heard a carriage in front of me heading toward me, but then I heard it slow down as it crossed my path.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" a deep voice said from inside of the carriage. I looked up towards the carriage, unable to see who was inside of it due to the lack of sunlight from the weather. "Where are you going unescorted in this terrible weather? Please come inside of the carriage, I will take you to wherever you need to be." I figured at that point that getting out of the rain before getting sick was a good idea. The man sounded kind enough, in fact he sounded almost familiar.

I nodded my head to assent to his request and began walking towards the carriage. The man inside stepped out of the carriage to let me in; I was shocked to see that it was none other than Lord Kurosaki himself.

"Ah, Miss Kuchiki, it is nice to see you again," he said as he bowed, getting wet from the pouring rain. How did he know my name? I curtsied in response and he held out his hand to help me into the carriage. Once we were both settled and seated, the carriage began to turn around and move in the direction that I was walking in.

"Where were you walking to Miss Kuchiki?"

"I am walking to town sir, to seek employment for myself."

"Why? I thought that you were employed under your aunt and cousin?" How did he know that I was related to them?

"I was sir, but they have turned me out and now I have to make my own way."

"If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you there anymore?" What a rude question! These people of society had no qualms about breaking the rules of polite conversation.

"I am no longer under their legal guardianship, and so they no longer have to take care of me if they wish not to."

"Do you have family to stay with until you find your way?"

"No sir, that is why I am heading to town to seek employment," I repeated, gritting my teeth slightly. Maybe now that the conversation had come full circle this insufferable man would stop asking me questions. For at least a few moments I had such luck. Lord Kurosaki sat on his side of the carriage deep in thought.

Even though he was somewhat rude to me; I did appreciate that he was willing to transport me to town so that I didn't have to walk in the rain. But then again he likely did it because he looks down upon me and my unhappy situation; it probably makes him feel like a high and mighty gentleman to help poor little me get to town. This thought made me want to leave the carriage immediately. My thoughts were interrupted by Lord Kurosaki speaking to me again.

"Miss Kuchiki, this may sound odd, but how would you feel about living in my household?"

I was shocked that this proposition was made to me! I sputtered, "Ex…excuse me?"

"I know that it seems a bit unconventional, but I would be more than willing for you to live in my household, at least for the time being; until you can get on your own feet. You are welcome to use anything on the property as you like, consider it your home."

I was taken aback at this. Why would someone ever invite a virtual stranger to live in their home and use their things? I couldn't understand the motivation behind it.

"Well, I'm flattered and humbled at your offer Lord Kurosaki, but I don't understand why you are being so generous to me. We have never even formally met prior to this, why would you invite me into your home like this?"

"Firstly, I feel that there is no reason for you to wander around with no place to go as you try to find work for yourself; everyone should have a warm and dry place to call home, and you can consider my home as yours. And ever since my father passed the house has been terribly empty and quiet; it would be nice to have company around for awhile," he said a bit sheepishly, turning his head away from me.

I certainly wasn't going to turn down such a generous offer, but I certainly wasn't pleased about having to take his charity. I knew that I truly had no better alternative than to accept his offer.

"Thank you, I will accept your offer, but only until I find my own way," I conditioned.

"Brilliant!" he said as he cracked a smile similar to the one he had given me the last time that I saw him. "And please call me Ichigo."

I certainly wasn't going to return the pleasantry; he could continue to call me Miss Kuchiki.

Ichigo and I sat in silence until we neared his estate. I had never been this far North before; I had spent most of my life in Rangiku's household after all.

We rounded a corner onto what I assumed was the Kurosaki property, evidenced by Ichigo perking up and sitting up straighter in the carriage seat opposite of me. The rain had stopped but the weather was still grey and cloudy. I looked out of the window to the carriage and saw a huge estate, grander than any estate that I had seen before. The household itself was surrounded in the back and sides by grand trees with the front of the mansion open to view.

After about ten minutes the carriage finally pulled up to the grand house. Two young girls came out of the house, one of them running, as Ichigo stepped out of the carriage first and then took my hand to help me to step out of the carriage without further damaging my already muddy and ruined dress.

"Ichi-nii!" the running girl exclaimed as she embraced Ichigo. She came at him with such speed that he had to twirl her around and set her down to the ground. Was this one of his sisters? She had sandy blonde hair and a pleasant disposition, even if her embrace of her brother would not be acceptable in the presence of higher company than me.

The other girl slowly walked up to us; if she was Ichigo's other sister then the two were complete opposites. She had dark black hair and a decidedly unlady-like manner, and at first glance came across as a less pleasant character than her sister.

After Ichigo was finished embracing the girl he turned to me and motioned for me to come towards him.

"Rukia, these are my sisters, Yuzu," he said as he gestured towards the excitable blonde girl, "and Karin," he said motioning towards the darker haired girl.

"Girls, this is Miss Kuchiki; she will be residing with us for awhile. I hope that you will treat her with respect while she is here with us, and I hope that you will all get along well."

"That's lovely," Karin spat as she promptly turned around and entered the house again.

"Don't mind her, she has been very unladylike lately; I apologize," Ichigo whispered to me. Before I could respond, the other Miss Kurosaki came over to me.

"Hello Miss Kuchiki! I do hope that we can become close friends," Yuzu exclaimed to me. Since she was a probably a spoiled young lady I initially assumed that she didn't really mean what she said, but her eyes spoke of the most honest sincerity that I had ever seen. Perhaps she had not yet become so high and mighty like her sister, and I truly hoped that she never would.

Ichigo, Yuzu and I all walked into the house, and I was shocked by what I saw. And to think that my aunt thought that she lived lavishly. Her household paled in comparison to the one that I was about to reside in temporarily. The entryway alone was astonishing. It was filled with marble and beautiful artwork. It was lavish, but not tawdry or tasteless. In fact, it looked very elegant and refined; I wasn't expecting it to be so tasteful. I figured that all of high society tried to stuff in as many expensive items into their houses as they could; that was what Rangiku and Orihime did after all.

Ichigo showed me around the large household, and I felt terribly guilty about the muddy trail that I was leaving in my wake. I kept looking behind me, promising myself that I would clean up the mess later.

"Don't worry about the mud Miss Kuchiki," Ichigo said to me after noticing how often I was checking the floor behind me.

"Oh, but I am leaving a terrible mess, please let me clean it up."

"Absolutely not, you need not worry about it. Now here is the dining room…"

I felt terrible not because I was muddying up his immaculate flooring, but because I knew that a servant was going to have to clean up after me, and I did not take kindly to the idea. I did not want to be a burden to the staff while I was here. I decided that I would try to spend what time I wasn't using to find a new occupation to help around the house and relieve the burden of the housekeepers. They shouldn't have to suffer just because their master decided that someone new was going to live here.

Ichigo showed me to the room in which I was to stay during my time here; it was right across the hallway from his sister's bedchambers and down the hallway from his own. He left me in the room to unpack my few meager possessions and then to come and join him and his sisters for dinner. I looked around the vast room, not sure what to think. I soon heard a knock on the door behind me.

"Come in," I responded.

"Miss Kuchiki?" I heard from Yuzu, who peered in from behind the door. "I know that your dress is dirty right now, and you are more than welcome to use some of my dresses until we can get you some of your own," she said with a happy smile on her face.

"You don't need to get me any dresses Miss Kurosaki, but I would love to be able to get out of this one until it can be washed."

Yuzu happily came over to the large bed in the middle of the room and set down three dresses down on the covers for me to choose from. "Please call me Yuzu Miss Kuchiki; I hope that these dresses fit you alright. When you feel the need to use the washroom, there is one further down the hallway, please feel free to use it."

"Thank you Yuzu; and you may call me Rukia," I smiled at her. So far she was the only person in this household that I genuinely liked. She was so sweet and kind to me; the least that I could do was allow her to call me by my first name.

She left the room as I gazed at the dresses on the bed. They were all so nice, much nicer than anything that I had ever worn before, and far more stylish than what Orihime had dressed in. I picked out the plainest of the gowns and tried it on. It was a little long on me as Yuzu was a bit taller than me, but otherwise it fit quite well. It would certainly do until I could wash the mud off of my dress and save up a little money for some fabric so that I could make myself a new dress. I also cleaned the mud off of my shoes until they were free of grime and placed them back onto my feet.

After preparing myself, I went downstairs and eventually found the dining room after wandering around lost for a few moments; the house was so large that it was hard to remember where everything was. Ichigo and Yuzu were already sitting at the table ready to eat, clearly waiting for Karin and I to come to dinner. Ichigo stood up and stepped behind the chair that I was to sit in. I sat down on the chair and he slid it under the table for me before returning to his seat.

As the pangs of hunger began to plague my stomach after having nothing to eat all day and little to eat over the past month, Karin finally came downstairs into the dining room. She seated herself and we all began to eat our meals. I knew that I would have to thank the chef later personally, because this was by far the most delicious meal that I had ever eaten.

"Miss Kuchiki, I hope that the room that you will be staying in suits you?" Ichigo asked me.

"Yes, it is a lovely room, thank you," I responded politely.

"Rukia, do the dresses I gave to you fit alright?" Yuzu asked hopefully.

"I have only tried on this one, but it fits quite well. Thank you very much for allowing me to borrow it Yuzu," I said as I looked over towards Ichigo, who had a slightly perturbed look upon his face.

"It's not a problem at all! If you would like, I can walk with you to town tomorrow to go to the tailor to have some new dresses made for you."

"That's quite alright; once I wash the dress I was wearing earlier I won't need to borrow your dresses. Thank you for the offer though," I said with a smile. Yuzu seemed disappointed that I did not accept her offer, but I wasn't planning on staying here for long. I was hoping that I could go into town tomorrow if the weather cleared up and find employment; then I could move out of this residence within the week.

We spent the rest of dinner in silence as we ate. Something peculiar that I noticed was that no one was sitting at the head of the table, wasn't that where Ichigo was supposed to sit? Then I remembered about their father's death and how it must still be affecting them. They probably were not yet done grieving for their loss, and thus left the head of the table empty.

After dinner I decided to retire to my room early. I was exhausted after such a long day and I was very full after such a delicious meal. Ichigo and Yuzu didn't seem to mind as I excused myself and took my leave to the bedchamber that I was staying in.

When I entered the room I noticed that my dirty dress had been taken away and that a sleeping shift had been left on the bed for me. I silently thanked whoever had brought it to me and changed my clothing.

I slipped into the warm blankets and comfortable cushion underneath me; it was far better than the one made of straw that I had slept in for years. It was so comfortable that I fell asleep almost instantly.

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I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, please review! -Kin'iro No Tenshi


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm sorry that I have not been able to update in awhile, I have had a lot going on at school and I will likely not update again until next month. I will try to update in a couple of weeks but I am making no promises. I apologize that it will take me so long but I have a couple of very important school projects that require my attention, so my writing is going to have to go on the back burner for about a month, but I should be able to jump right back into writing this story after my semester is over. I promise that I will finish and post the complete story eventually, it just won't be as soon as I had hoped.

For those of you who are panicking about Ichigo and Rukia not being married yet, I promise that it will happen! This story is going to be quite long, and the pacing of the story is a lot slower than my previous stories. Please be patient as a lot has to happen before they get married.

Also, thank you to everyone who has been giving such kind and thoughtful reviews, you have no idea how much I love reading them! So if you have time, please review this chapter!

Warnings: This story is rated M for good reason. If you are not old enough to be reading M-rated material or simply don't like mature content, then please don't read this story. This chapter is rated T for safety.

Disclaimers: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.

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Chapter 4: Ichigo's Point of View

I sighed at the letter that had just arrived for me. It was another invitation to the Masumoto household, urging me to pay them a visit, and of course reiterating that I had promised to visit them again a month before today. If I was being perfectly honest with myself, the only reason that I was willing to go was to hopefully see Miss Kuchiki again before she had to leave the tyranny that were her aunt and cousin.

I hadn't been able to stop thinking about her over the past four weeks. My long hours of traveling for business gave my mind time to wander and daydream about her lovely eyes or her pretty hair. I had even considered cutting my business trip short so that I could call upon that household to be sure to see her just one more time before she left.

I constantly wondered where she planned to go. I wondered if she had friends nearby who could help her until she could make her own way. I even thought about offering her a place to stay at my own household if I had the chance to talk to her alone. The beauty was dominating my thoughts and even my dreams at night. I decided to write back to the Masumotos and say that I would call upon them in two day's time. I could only hope that Miss Kuchiki would be there as well.

* * *

Two days later I began the ten mile journey to the Masumoto residence. I took the same carriage as I had the last time I went to visit, the one that had been my mother's favorite. It was usually an uneventful ride, although it was always pleasant to ride through town. It had begun to rain soon after I started my journey, and I was thankful that I had chosen a carriage with a roof to keep me dry.

As my carriage passed through town, I watched as people hurriedly tried to finish their errands and scurry inside to keep dry and warm. At least they would be warm; I would simply have to stay in this cold carriage until I was received at the Masumoto house.

About two miles away from my destination, I noticed a young girl trudging through the mud in the now heavy rain in the distance on the opposite side of the road. She was carrying a small linen bag and was looking down at her feet deep in thought. As the carriage got closer, I realized that it was none other than Miss Kuchiki herself! Words could not have expressed how I felt at that moment. I immediately decided that the least I could do for her was offer a ride to wherever she was going. I would write my apologies to the Masumotos that the weather kept me from visiting and add in a few pleasantries, and hopefully I would never have to visit them ever again.

I had the carriage stop when we reached Miss Kuchiki.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Where are you going unescorted in this terrible weather? Please come inside of the carriage, I will take you to wherever you need to be." I offered to her. She nodded her head and I stepped out of the carriage to help her inside. I could instantly see on her face that she recognized me from our last encounter. I also noticed that she looked much thinner than she had the last time we had seen each other.

"Ah, Miss Kuchiki, it is nice to see you again," I said bowing. She curtsied back at me and I helped her to get seated in the carriage.

"Where were you walking to Miss Kuchiki?"

"I am walking to town sir, to seek employment for myself."

"Why? I thought that you were employed under your aunt and cousin?"

"I was sir, but they have turned me out and now I have to make my own way."

"If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you there anymore?" I asked her. I did not want her to know that I was already somewhat aware of her situation.

"I am no longer under their legal guardianship, and so they no longer have to take care of me if they wish not to."

"Do you have family to stay with until you find your way?"

"No sir, that is why I am heading to town to seek employment," she said back to me rather curtly. I sat there formulating the plan in my head; I would offer her a place to stay at my residence, which would allow me the chance to get to know more about her.

"Miss Kuchiki, this may sound odd, but how would you feel about living in my household?"

"Ex…excuse me?" she sputtered.

"I know that it seems a bit unconventional, but I would be more than willing for you to live in my household, at least for the time being until you can get on your own feet. You are welcome to use anything on the property as you like, consider it your home." I wasn't surprised at her obvious shock at such an unconventional request.

"Well, I'm flattered and humbled at your offer Lord Kurosaki, but I don't understand why you are being so generous to me. We have never even formally met prior to this, why would you invite me into your home like this?"

"Firstly, I feel that there is no reason for you to wander around with no place to go as you try to find work for yourself; everyone should have a warm and dry place to call home, and you can consider my home as yours. And ever since my father passed the house has been terribly empty and quiet; it would be nice to have company around for awhile," I said quietly, turning away to hide my grief and utter embarrassment at saying such a thing.

After a few moments she replied, "Thank you, I will accept your offer, but only until I find my own way."

"Wonderful!" I said, "And please call me Ichigo." I wanted to be on a more casual basis with her, especially if we were going to be residing under the same roof.

We had a silent carriage ride back to my home. I was overcome with joy that she was at least willing to stay with my sisters and myself for awhile. I only hoped that Miss Kuchiki would enjoy herself and decide to stay for as long as possible.

After what felt like no time at all, we arrived at the front of the house. I stepped out of the carriage first so that I could help Miss Kuchiki out of the carriage. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Yuzu and Karin had come outside to greet me, with Yuzu running towards me as always.

"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu exclaimed as she came over to embrace me. I twirled her around in our usual routine and set her back upon the ground.

"Rukia, these are my sisters, Yuzu and Karin," I said to introduce them to each other. "Girls, this is Miss Kuchiki; she will be residing with us for awhile. I hope that you will treat her with respect while she is here with us, and I hope that you will all get along well."

"That's lovely," Karin spat as she promptly turned around and stomped into the house. I was appalled at her behavior, and she would not get away with disrespecting our guest like that. I would have a talk with her later.

"Don't mind her, she has been very unladylike lately; I apologize," I whispered to Miss Kuchiki. I hoped that she would forgive my sister for her rash behavior.

"Hello Miss Kuchiki! I do hope that we can become close friends," Yuzu exclaimed to her. I sincerely hoped that would be the case, it would be lovely for Yuzu to have a close friend to confide in since her sister wasn't a good listener.

I ushered my sister and Miss Kuchiki into the house, hoping that it would be to Rukia's tastes. I had it redecorated to be more fitting to my personal tastes since my father passed away. Simply put he had an… interesting way of decorating the household.

I noticed that Miss Kuchiki kept glancing behind her as I was showing her through the house; it seemed that she was upset at the dirt she was leaving behind on the floor.

"Don't worry about the mud Miss Kuchiki," I said, trying to console her. I had already dismissed most of the servants for the afternoon, so I would simply clean it up myself after leaving her to get ready for dinner. It was no trouble for me.

"Oh, but I am leaving a terrible mess, please let me clean it up."

"Absolutely not, you need not worry about it."

I soon showed Miss Kuchiki to her new room. It was across from Yuzu's room in case they wanted to visit and just down the hall from my own bedchamber in the case that she needed anything. I left her in the room to acquaint herself with it and to get ready to have dinner in the dining room downstairs. I went to go clean up the small amount of dirt on the floor that Miss Kuchiki unwillingly tracked in, and then I went to go and talk to Karin about her rude behavior towards Miss Kuchiki.

I knocked softly on the door to her bedroom.

"Come in," I heard Karin respond from inside. I entered the room with a scowl on my face; I was by no means pleased with her behavior.

"Karin, why were you so rude to Miss Kuchiki?"

"Who?" she remarked snidely.

"You know who. I am terribly embarrassed by your behavior Karin! I can't believe that you would be so unkind to a stranger that we are letting into our home."

"I didn't decide to let her stay here."

"That doesn't excuse your childish behavior. What has gotten into you lately? You have been acting so oddly since our father died. What is wrong?" I asked in a softer tone while going over to sit on her bed next to her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said turning away from me, clearly embarrassed that I had so deftly gotten to the root of her behavior.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I know that it has been hard since he passed away; it's been hard for all of us. You don't have to talk to Miss Kuchiki, but please, at the very least don't be so rude to her. She is going through a rough time in her life as well," I said as I stood up again. I could tell that Karin was holding in her tears, and so I briefly embraced her and left her alone again. I knew that she wasn't going to talk to Miss Kuchiki for awhile; it always took her time to warm up to new people.

I went down the hallway into my bedchamber to change out of my still damp clothing. I then went back down the stairs, passing by Miss Kuchiki's new room to hear the rustling of clothing as she changed. I sat down at the table to talk to Yuzu, who was already sitting there waiting for everyone to come to dinner.

"Hello Ichi-nii!" she greeted. "I hope that you don't mind brother, but I offered our guest some of my dresses to wear. Could we get her some new dresses to wear?"

"Of course Yuzu, she does need some new clothing to wear. And thank you for offering some of yours to her; that was very kind of you."

"It wasn't a burden brother. She must feel so dirty in that muddy dress, I thought that she would feel better if she had some clean clothing to wear, and she looks to be about my size," she said smiling. "She is so polite and kind brother, I hope that we can become friends."

"I hope so too Yuzu, I am glad that you are already enjoying her company."

At that moment Miss Kuchiki entered the room in one of Yuzu's plainer dresses; she must like her dresses to be simpler. I pushed that observation to the back of my mind as I rose to help seat Miss Kuchiki into her chair at the table. She came over in silence and sat down in the chair. I slid the chair in for her and returned to my seat to wait for Karin.

When Karin entered the room, I noticed that her eyes and face were still tinged pink, likely from crying after our conversation. I didn't make any mention of it as we all sat around the table to eat our meal.

"Miss Kuchiki, I hope that the room that you will be staying in suits you?" I asked her to try and start a conversation. I didn't know just how long she would stay here for, and I hoped that I would get to know her well before she left.

"Yes, it is a lovely room, thank you," she responded politely, nodding her head towards me in politeness.

"Rukia, do the dresses I gave to you fit alright?" Yuzu asked hopefully.

"I have only tried on this one, but it fits quite well. Thank you very much for allowing me to borrow it Yuzu."

Did they just call each other by their first names? I was quite jealous of Yuzu in that moment; Miss Kuchiki had not yet given me permission to use her first name although I had given her permission to use mine.

"It's not a problem at all! If you would like, I can walk with you to town tomorrow to go to the tailor to have some new dresses made for you."

"That's quite alright; once I wash the dress I was wearing earlier I won't need to borrow your dresses. Thank you for the offer though," she said smiling at Yuzu.

We finished the rest of our dinner in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence by any means, but a comfortable one.

After Miss Kuchiki finished her dinner, she said, "May I excuse myself? I'm afraid that I am feeling quite tired from today's events and need to go to bed."

"Of course you may, have a good night Miss Kuchiki," I replied as I looked into her violet eyes.

"Thank you Ichigo," she responded. My stomach leapt inside of me when she said my name. She curtsied and took her leave.

Karin excused herself as well, leaving Yuzu and I to talk alone for a little while. We moved into the parlor so that we could sit on the more comfortable furniture.

"Ichi-nii?"

"Yes, Yuzu?"

"How long is Rukia going to be staying with us?"

"I don't know, but I hope that she stays here for awhile."

"I hope so as well. I know that I have only known of her for a few hours; but I really like her. Everything feels more alive with her around. I had forgotten how quiet it's been since father passed away. I feel as though Rukia could bring back energy into our family, happiness."

"I agree with you Yuzu. We can only hope that Miss Kuchiki will be staying with us for an extended period of time. Now, I think that it's about time to go to sleep; don't you?"

"Yes, I am becoming tired. Goodnight Ichi-nii!" she said as she rose and walked towards the staircase that led up to her bedchamber.

I remained in the parlor for awhile after Yuzu left. I pondered over Rukia's future here in the household. I agreed that Miss Kuchiki in her short time here has already brought something to the household that was missing. I sat there trying to figure out exactly what it was, but I failed in doing so. It began to become late, and so I slowly climbed up the staircase to my own bedchamber to retire for the night, peeking in on each of my sister's rooms and even Miss Kuchiki's room to make sure that they were safely asleep.

I quietly walked down to my own bedchamber at the end of the hallway and softly closed the door behind me so that I would not awaken anyone. I began to prepare myself to get into my bed by getting undressed when I heard the door slam open behind me.

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Bwahaha cliffhanger! Please review! -Kin'iro No Tenshi


	5. Chapter 5

Hello everyone! I am so sorry that it took me so long ot get back to working on this story, after my final exams I ended up moving too so I have been very busy, but I am finally back to working on this story, so please forgive me. Updates will probably be once every couple of weeks or so, but again I promise that I will finish it and post it all for you!

Thank you to everyone who has been reading the story, I have been surprised by its success! Thank you also to all of the wonderful reviews that I have received over the past few months since the hiatus began, they really made me smile and encouraged me to come back to the story! This is a story that I really have to be in the right mood to work on. But anyway, you were all mad about the cliffhanger that I left at the end of the last chapter and you have all waited for so long, so here you go! The chapter is in Rukia's point of view. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, and if I did I would probably ruin it because I do not have the genius of Tite Kubo.

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Chapter 5: Rukia's Point of View

_Dearest Momo,_

_You will simply never believe what has happened to me over the course of the past few days. So much has happened that I simply don't know how I will fit it all into one letter. _

_I have not gone to town like I planned. In fact, I encountered Lord Kurosaki along my way to town. He offered me a ride in his carriage to where I needed to go, and then even offered to allow me to stay at his home until I can find my own way. Of course I could not refuse such a generous offer since I had nowhere to go. I'm certain that he only made the offer to me as an act of charity; an act of pity upon my miserable situation. I detest him. I am as polite as I can be to him of course since he has acted so generously towards me, but I do not believe that he acts out of kindness in his heart. No man or woman of society is capable of that._

_Except for perhaps his younger sister, Yuzu Kurosaki. She seems genuinely kind, I do not believe that she had been corrupted by higher society as of yet, although her sister Karin Kurosaki clearly has. The nerve of that girl! She has been incredibly rude to me since before I entered the threshold of the house. She will fit well into the society of her class._

_Next, I will recount the most embarrassing moment of my life thus far, which happened late at night two nights ago, as well as being the primary reason that I write. It was the first night that I was to stay at the Kurosaki household. I had gone to bed at a reasonable time, and I slept quite soundly until my body awoke in a need to use the washroom. I remembered Yuzu telling me that the private washroom was somewhere down the hall from my bedchamber. I was so tired and disoriented when I awoke; I stumbled down the hallway and opened the door only to find Lord Kurosaki in only his breeches! I was so humiliated to see a man that I am not married to in that condition! Oh Momo, I know not how to express my discomfiture to you in words. Needless to say I was terribly mortified, especially at Lord Kurosaki's reaction, he simply started laughing! It was at this point that I fully regained my senses and ran back to my bedchamber in haste._

_He seems to have forgiven me for my terrible breech of good manners as he has not mentioned the incident to me since it happened. He acted the next morning as though nothing had happened at all, which I am quite thankful for, as I am turning six shades of red simply recounting the event to you._

_The past two days in fact have passed in relative quiet. I have not been able to go to town as of yet because of the bad weather, so I have been spending time mostly with Lord Kurosaki and Miss Yuzu. Miss Yuzu is such a sweet girl. She has been entertaining the family and I with lovely music from the pianoforte as the rain continues to pour outside. The other Miss Kurosaki has mostly kept to herself over these past two days reading books and gazing out of the window at the rain. _

_Lord Kurosaki listens to Yuzu's music with joy as he writes letters, for matters of business I'm sure. He also seems to enjoy conversing with me, but I could not imagine why. Perhaps it is a part of his pitying of me. His questions perplex me though; he begins with the normal polite questions and then begins to question me about my time at the Masumoto household, and about Rangiku and Orihime. Perhaps he is interested in taking Orihime as a wife after all? I know not why he asks me such things. _

_The insufferable man also will not let me do anything of value around the house like clean or cook. How am I supposed to repay his generosity if he will not let me? It vexes me that he is being so stubborn._

_Hopefully the weather will be dry enough tomorrow so that I may go to town and seek my employment. As lovely as the accommodations here are and as grateful as I am to have them, I do not plan on staying here long. Until I can write again, I am forever yours,_

_-Rukia Kuchiki_

As I finished writing my letter to Momo, I heard a soft knock on the door to my bedchamber. I had been composing the letter at a small desk in the corner of the room that was stocked with paper and ink.

"Come in."

"Miss Kuchiki?" asked Ichigo as he entered the room.

"Yes?"

"The rain outside has stopped this morning, and it looks as though the sun is going to continue to shine. Would you like to go to town with Yuzu and I?"

"Yes, I would love to," I said as I rose from the table. This was my chance to finally find a place to employ me and to leave the charity of this wealthy man. I followed him out of the room and down the staircase to the carriage awaiting the three of us.

It was a silent carriage ride into town. With the sun now shining the town was bustling with activity as shops opened for the morning and others were pursuing the town meeting acquaintances and buying the wares of the shops that were scattered along the main road.

We rode through town until a place was found for the carriage to stay while we were in town. Ichigo helped Yuzu and I out of the carriage until we were all standing outside in the warm sunshine.

"If you will excuse me; I am off to find myself employment," I said with a bow as I excused myself from the party.

I quickly walked away from Ichigo and Yuzu as I wanted to pursue my employment on my own; without the influence of their power and wealth. I went from shop to shop asking if they were hiring employees, only to hear the answer "no" over and over again. I began to become frustrated with myself; surely it cannot be this difficult to find employment.

After entering every shop on the main road and asking around for several hours, I only gained nothing. I was full of frustration and disillusionment. What was I to do now? I was a failure and a disappointment to myself, a servant unable to find an occupation. I certainly could not impose on the hospitality of the Kurosakis for much longer. I was but a servant and they were treating me far better than my position allowed for.

"Rukia, is that you?"

I looked up only to see the two people who could make my afternoon worse than it already was, Rangiku and Orihime.

"Oh, hello Rangiku, and Orihime."

"What are you doing here? Do you work here in town now? Where do you reside now?" Rangiku asked with a snigger.

"And what are you wearing? That is of far nicer quality than even the dress that I have on now!" Orihime commented with jealously and anger in her voice.

I stood there in silence for a moment, not sure of how to answer their questions. Would Ichigo approve of me telling them the truth? The whole situation was so improper to begin with; I was at least aware of that much. But I couldn't deny that I was dressed well as I was still borrowing Yuzu's dresses. I still had not seen anything of my dirty muslin dress since it had been taken from my bedchamber. What was I going to say?

"Oh, Lord Kurosaki, I am surprised to see you here! It is wonderful to see you again, especially since your last visit was postponed by the poor weather. I do hope that you will call upon us again soon as you promised." Rangiku exclaimed as I felt a tall presence step forward from behind me.

"Miss Kuchiki is here in town as a party to my sister and me. She resides in my household with me and my sisters."

"Oh, as a servant in your household? How kind of you to…"

"No, she is not a servant in my household. She is an equal to me and my sisters. She will be residing in my home until she chooses to leave of her own accord."

Rangiku and Orihime looked startled to say the least. Their shock did not surprise me at all; in fact it was their general lack of reaction that startled me most. They stood there for a moment and then politely excused themselves from our company, whispering frantically amongst themselves as they walked away. Oh, what were people to say now? I knew that it wouldn't be long before the whole county knew of the arrangement between Ichigo and myself.

I looked up towards Ichigo only to see a troubled look on his face as he watched my aunt and cousin walk away. Then he turned to me with a smirk and offered his arm to accompany me back to the carriage.

"Why did you step in for me?" I asked him on our way to the carriage.

"You looked as though you needed help…"

"I could have taken care of them on my own; I did not need you to step in on my behalf because you felt pity for me," I said as I began to walk ahead of him. How dare he use his power and influence to help me in my familial affairs! He had no grounds to humiliate me in front of my nearest relations, no matter how much I loathe them.

I walked up to the carriage and climbed in myself only to find that Yuzu was already seated in the carriage.

"Hello Rukia! Did you have any luck finding an occupation in town today?" she asked me sweetly.

"No, I did not," I responded solemnly.

"That is alright, you are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you would like or need," she said with the sweetest smile, grabbing my hand in her own. She really meant what she said, and I dearly appreciated her for that. Unfortunately my opinion of her brother was not changing; I still found him to be lording his wealth and power over me like a string for a cat. His plan to make himself feel better through his charity towards me was clearly working, and I could do nothing in my power to stop it.

"How was your day in town Yuzu?" I asked quickly to change the subject before I became angry again.

"It was lovely! Ichi-nii took me around to all of the shops that I wished to go to. I bought myself a new bonnet and a new pair of shoes. Ichi-nii commissioned some new clothing for himself and for some dresses to be made."

"Oh, it sounds like you had a fun day!"

"I did, Ichi-nii is such a kind brother; I am so lucky to have him."

As if on cue, Ichigo entered the carriage and the conversation between Yuzu and I dropped. The ride back to the Kurosaki household was awkward, but bearable. As soon as we arrived I stepped out of the carriage and entered the house only to go directly up to my bedchamber.

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The next day I was still upset with Ichigo about his actions in town. I did not leave the bedchamber until the next morning due to hunger from foregoing dinner. I dressed myself in another of Yuzu's dresses and walked down the stairs to attend breakfast with the family. Only Karin and Yuzu were seated at the table, and they had already begun eating.

"Rukia! I am glad that you are awake. Come and sit with us and eat, you must be starving," Yuzu said.

I walked over to the table and seated myself in front of an empty placing, serving myself some eggs and ham. Karin was no longer being directly rude towards me, but now simply ignores my presence, which to be frank was quite fine with me. She was simply playing her role in society, and I could not blame her for that.

After a quiet breakfast, I learned from looking out the windows that the rain had in fact returned in full force. I supposed that it was going to be yet another quiet day of spending time with the Kurosaki family.

I went back up to my bedchamber only to discover four lovely dresses lying upon the bed. They were simpler than Yuzu's dresses and far more to my tastes. The one farthest to the left caught my eye the most; it was a splendid dress made of a fine violet satin and lightly embroidered with small crystals. It was a stunning dress. Were these dresses for me?

I suddenly remembered Yuzu mentioning that Ichigo had commissioned some dresses to be made, but I assumed that they were for one or both of his sisters. I did not realize that dresses could be made and delivered so quickly, but then again I was not of high society. This idea must have been a product of Yuzu, for Ichigo could never show such kindness to me, the corrupted rich simply weren't capable of it. Yuzu must have begged him to do so.

I felt unworthy at that moment. I certainly did not deserve the kindness of Yuzu; I had imposed upon her home and been nothing but a burden upon her and her family. She did not even choose for me to stay here, her brother did without the permission of either her or her sister. I was merely a servant, I had no other place in this world besides that. I had no connection and no place to go. If I had the option of going to stay someplace else, I would have. I did not deserve her kindness.

I donned one of the new dresses in appreciation and returned the rest of Yuzu's dresses to her bedchamber. I knocked on the door and slowly opened it, only to find Yuzu in there.

"Yuzu?"

"Yes?" she said as she turned her tear-stained face toward me.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. It's nothing."

"It must be something or you wouldn't be crying."

"I just miss my mother and father; that's all," she sniffled.

"I understand how you feel," I said as I placed her dresses in her wardrobe. "My parents both died of a terrible illness when I was young."

"I'm sorry Rukia. No one should have to lose their parents before being an adult."

"I know, but it happens sometimes," I said as I sat on the bed next to Yuzu. "There is nothing to be done but to remember them fondly and often."

"You are right. I do need to stop crying about it, but it is so hard!" Yuzu sobbed into my shoulder as she embraced me. I sat there with her for quite awhile until she finished crying.

"Thank you, Rukia. That helped me immensely. Thank you for being here for me," she smiled at me.

"I will always be here for you Yuzu, whenever you are in need of me," I said as I rose from the bed and walked toward the door. "Oh, and thank you for the dresses, they are beautiful." Yuzu didn't respond as I shut the door behind me quietly.

I treaded across the hallway to my own bedchamber to get myself ready for bed. I placed the dresses in the wardrobe on the far side of the room and dressed once again in my muslin shift. As I pulled the covers over my body, I gazed at the small vanity next to the bed, which now held what few precious belongings I had to help me to remember my childhood and my parents. The vanity held my gaze until I fell fast asleep.

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I hope that you liked it, please review! -Kin'iro No Tenshi


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey everyone, here is the next chapter! I am trying to get better about having the overlapping events in chapters not be so repetitive with the exception of the dialogue. This chapter starts at the same time as the last chapter because that's how it needed to be for the setup of events. It will stagger better in future chapters. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews on the last chapter, they really encourage me to write. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, but I sure wish that I did….

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Chapter 6: Ichigo's Point of View

When I turned around to see Rukia standing at my door, her face flushed pink from embarrassment; I simply could not help but laugh. I knew that the situation was highly improper as I was not wearing any form of a shirt in the presence of a young lady, but I found the situation to be amusing nonetheless.

"I…I am so sorry! I thought that thi…this was the private washroom," she said as she hung her head in embarrassment and shame, and then swiftly closed the door and ran back down the hallway to her bedchamber. I continued to laugh for a little while longer; she must have been so exhausted that she didn't realize that the private washroom was across the hallway from my own door.

I saw her early the next morning and decided not to mention the embarrassing incident from the previous night. I could tell by her countenance at the dining table that she was highly embarrassed about the whole situation, and I did not wish to make her feel more discomfort about it.

However, I found her later that afternoon gathering cleaning supplies from some of the small closets around the house. She had a bucket and a washcloth already in her possession, and it looked as though she were going to go outside in the rain to fill the bucket.

"Miss Kuchiki, what are you doing?" I asked as she quietly made her way to the door that led outside. She turned towards me clearly startled; she must not have heard me behind her.

"I am… going outside for some fresh air," she stated, hiding the evidence of her true intentions behind the skirt of her dress.

"In this weather?" I asked, motioning towards the pouring rain outside.

"Well…"

"Miss Kuchiki, I will not permit you to clean the house while you are residing here," I said. She had done enough cleaning under the so called "care" of her aunt and cousin. I was not going to allow for that here.

"But sir…"

"I thought that I asked you to call me Ichigo."

"Ichigo…"

"There will be no argument. Please put those things away and join my sisters and myself in the drawing room; I'm sure that Yuzu would love to play the pianoforte for your pleasure," I added. Rukia begrudgingly curtsied towards me and began putting the bucket back where it belonged.

I walked to the drawing room and sat down in my usual seat at the desk. Rukia followed me in only a few moments later. She sat down by the pianoforte as Yuzu played and began conversing with her. I could already see that the two were forming a bond, and it made me hope more that Rukia would be staying with us for awhile.

I began to scribe a letter to my dear friend, Uryu Ishida. He and I had grown up together as young children, initially hating each other. As we grew older we fought and competed more and more until my mother died. This was a turning point in our relationship, and we began to become close friends instead of rivals.

I began with the usual pleasantries and then found myself writing about the beautiful maiden sitting on the other side of the room with my sister. I had written about her to Uryu before, but I had not yet told him about the arrangement. I had a feeling that he would reply his disapproval as he usually did about nearly everything, but I could not bring myself to stop writing about her to him. I felt that he needed to be a part of this important moment in my young life. I knew that I was beginning to take a deeper interest in her; a deeper interest than I had taken with any lady before and a deeper interest that I was truly willing to admit to myself.

I spent the next few days writing this letter. I did not know why it was taking me so long to write; I felt that it needed to perfectly convey how I felt.

I finished the letter as the sun began to rise. I had risen early in the morning to finish it by candlelight before the day began so that it could be dispatched quickly. I enjoyed the early mornings when it was quiet and calm. I looked out the window as the sun began to rise to see that the rain had indeed stopped and that it looked like it was going to be a warm day.

I walked up the staircase to Miss Kuchiki's bedchamber. I could hear the stirrings that she was fully awake as I could hear her mumbling to herself. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," I heard

"Miss Kuchiki?"

"Yes?"

"The rain outside has stopped this morning, and it looks as though the sun is going to continue to shine. Would you like to go to town with Yuzu and I?"

"Yes, I would love to," she said as she rose from the table in the corner of her chamber.

She joined me and my sister on our carriage ride into town. I knew that she was anxious to go to town in order to find employment for herself. I admired her sense of independence and unwillingness to be a burden. I knew that she would have difficulty finding employment though; most respectable shops did not hire women at all.

After the carriage was parked safely and the horses were being fed, Miss Kuchiki excused herself from our party to find her employment. I could only pray that she would not be lucky find any.

Yuzu and I began our usual perusal through town. We stopped to speak with our acquaintances to exchange pleasantries and perform all of the other perfunctory duties that politeness dictated. After finishing our social duties, we walked into a tailor shop a couple of blocks from the main street. Yuzu pursed some of the shops wares as I approached the tailor that owned the shop.

"Lord Kurosaki! How lovely to see you on such a warm day, how may I be of help to you?" the tailor, Mr. Mueller, said to me. He was a kind, stout older man that truly enjoyed seeing me. He was not only very polite, but his designs and sewing were of the highest quality. I much preferred working with him than some of the "upper-class" tailors in the city as other families of wealth in the area did. I never found those tailors to have the same charm as Mr. Mueller.

"I have an odd order to place today Mr. Mueller. I need four dresses to be made and delivered to me by tomorrow morning. I will of course compensate you for the timeliness of the order."

"Which of your sisters are these dresses for Lord Kurosaki?"

"They are actually for another lady, one that is staying in my household. I would prefer that you not mention the details to anyone else as I am still working out how to handle the… delicate nature of the situation."

"You have my word that I will not mention anything to another soul, not even my wife," Mr. Mueller said with all sincerity. I knew that he was a man to be trusted and I knew that he would keep my secret. "Now, what are the measurements of the young lady?"

"The same as Miss Kurosaki over there," I said as my eye found her looking at a bonnet, "only about two inches shorter." I spent the next hour going over designs and fabric choices for her dresses. I chose simpler designs that I thought she would like in quality fabrics. One of the dresses that I chose was a design for a fancier event, like a ball or a formal dinner. I picked out a striking violet fabric for the dress that I believe will match her beautiful eyes. I couldn't wait to see the dress on her.

I decided to not get any accessories like bonnets for her just yet; I felt that she might already be overwhelmed with these dresses, and I did not want to make her feel uncomfortable or indebted to me.

I did however invite Yuzu to pick out of couple of things for herself after commissioning new clothing for myself. She chose a lovely bonnet and a pair of shoes for herself after much protesting about how she already had enough shoes and bonnets. I was more than willing to treat her once in awhile, and she certainly deserved it for the kindness that she has shown to Miss Kuchiki over the past several days.

After placing the orders and paying the bill for the dresses and their delivery in full, Yuzu and I stepped back outside and made our way back to the carriage. After I helped Yuzu into the carriage, I could not help but notice Miss Kuchiki in the distance talking to none other than her aunt and her cousin. She looked nervous and anxious, and I knew that I needed to step in and diffuse the situation.

"Yuzu, could you sit here for a moment while I gather Miss Kuchiki?"

"Of course Ichi-nii!"

After giving her a smile I hastily made my way over to the group and stepped in behind Miss Kuchiki. Miss Masumoto was the first to notice my presence.

"Oh, Lord Kurosaki, I am surprised to see you here! It is wonderful to see you again, especially since your last visit was postponed by the poor weather. I do hope that you will call upon us again soon as you promised."

"Miss Kuchiki is here in town as a party to my sister and me. She resides in my household with me and my sisters."

"Oh, as a servant in your household? How kind of you to…"

"No, she is not a servant in my household. She is an equal to me and my sisters. She will be residing in my home until she chooses to leave of her own accord," I said, dismissing any notions that they may have had. The pair looked confused and excused themselves from Miss Kuchiki and myself.

"Why did you step in for me?" Miss Kuchiki asked me as I escorted her back to the carriage.

"You looked as though you needed help…"

"I could have taken care of them on my own; I did not need you to step in on my behalf because you felt pity for me," she said as she quickened her pace to walk ahead of me. I could not bring myself to understand why she was so angry with me. Perhaps she was just embarrassed and flustered with meeting her relatives here in town when she did not expect to see them.

I decided to talk to the driver of the carriage as I allowed my sister and Miss Kuchiki to converse. As much as I wished to eavesdrop on their conversation; I knew that it was rude and occupied my time until I felt that it was time to leave.

I climbed into the carriage as the ladies ended their conversation. The carriage ride back to the household was silent and somewhat uncomfortable. Miss Kuchiki excused herself as soon as she entered the house and went upstairs to her bedchamber.

I retired to my bed as well and woke up early the next morning to a knock on my bedchamber door. The dresses had been delivered before sunrise, which was sooner than I was expecting. I had the dresses brought into my bedchamber so that I could inspect them myself. Mr. Mueller had quite outdone himself this time; he was certainly the most talented craftsman in the county. The purple coloured dress that I had chosen was especially beautiful and elegant. I could not wait to see Miss Kuchiki wearing it. Speaking of whom, I heard Miss Kuchiki leave her room and amble down the stairs. I carefully gathered the dresses in my arms and quietly stepped down the hallway and into Miss Kuchiki's bedchamber. I carefully laid out the dresses so that she would see them when she returned to the bedchamber after breakfast. I truly hoped that the dresses would suit her tastes.

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As I had thought, several letters were delivered to me the next day regarding the incident in town. I was not surprised to learn that Mrs. Masumoto and her daughter had spread the news of Miss Kuchiki's new place of residence all across the county in the matter of a day. Most of the letters inquired and alluded to filthy intentions and dishonorable behaviour. The nerve of these people! How dare they subtly accuse Miss Kuchiki of such actions meant only for those under holy matrimony. I ripped up most of the letters and threw them into the flames of the fireplace that rested on the far wall of my bedchamber so that Miss Kuchiki would not have to be burdened with this information.

This was my fault entirely. If I had not stepped into the conversation between Miss Kuchiki, Miss Masumoto and Miss Inoue then these nasty rumors would not have been spread. People of my class truly anger me sometimes; it is as if they have nothing better to do than to sully the reputations of others based on lies.

The only letter that I kept was from my dear friend Uryu.

_Dear Ichigo,_

_ It had come to my attention not long after I received your last correspondence that the whole county has heard of your arrangement with Miss Kuchiki. I warn you as my friend that you need to remedy the situation as soon as possible. People are saying terrible things about Miss Kuchiki and I worry about her reputation after she leaves your household. I know that you are not capable of sullying the virtue of Miss Kuchiki, but most do not know you as well as I do. I implore you to fix this somehow and stop the rumors that fly about from town to town. Know that these rumors affect not only the reputation of Miss Kuchiki, but the reputation of your sisters as well. If you wish to marry them well, you will put a stop to these insults upon Miss Kuchiki and your family. _

_Yours always,_

_ Uryu_

I knew that he was right; that I needed to find a way to remedy the problem. If these rumors were to get anymore out of hand, then Miss Kuchiki would not be able to show her face outside of the household for weeks if not months.

I allowed the situation to permeate my thoughts for the rest of the day, even after the household had retired for the night. I stayed up late into the night formulating my plan. It was a simple one that I hoped would not only put the problem to an end, but that it would make almost everyone happy as well.

I quietly stepped out of my bedchamber and down the hallway to Miss Kuchiki's room. I knew that it was improper of me, but I quietly opened the door and allowed myself inside.

Miss Kuchiki was lying in the bed fast asleep. Bright moonlight pierced through window and lit up the lovely features of her face as she slept buried in soft, thick blankets. She looked so peaceful and beautiful as she slept soundly, her dark hair framing her face on the pillow. I stepped quietly around the bed and sat at the small vanity next to it. I picked up the picture frame, seeing the picture inside clearly due to the brightness of the moon despite that fact that it was night.

It was a portrait of a young, seemingly happy couple. I assumed them to be Miss Kuchiki's parents. I vaguely knew that they had died when she was young, but I knew not how. Miss Kuchiki looked much like her mother, they had the same eyes and facial structure, although it looked like her mother was a bit taller than herself, but it was difficult to tell from the picture. I set the picture frame back down quietly on the table as the plan solidified in my head. I knew what had to be done tomorrow morning, and I knew that it would change the lives of this entire household, hopefully for the better.

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Thank you for reading, please review! – Kin'iro No Tenshi


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